The annual sales tax holiday on hurricane preparedness supplies will take place Saturday, May 25 to Friday, May 31.

During this seven-day period, purchases of hurricane preparedness items, including portable generators, will be exempt from the Virginia sales tax. Portable generators must be priced at $1,000 or less, and other eligible items must be priced at $60 or less for each item.

Virginia’s current sales tax is 4 percent, with an additional 1 percent sales tax collected by individual localities for a total 5 percent tax. On July 1, state sales tax will increase to 5 percent for Hampton Roads residents. Local sales tax rates will remain at 1 percent, meaning consumers will see a 6 percent sales tax total on their purchase receipts for most items.

To find discounts on hurricane supplies, visit hurricanedeals.com, a website run by local bargain hunters Jerry Tietjens, of Newport News, and Ron Maddox, of York County, featuring bargains on hurricane safety products.

The sales tax holiday comes during National Hurricane Preparedness Week, as declared by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The NOAA’s National Hurricane Center has produced a series of videos and other informational resources to prepare for the storm season on its website, nhc.noaa.gov/prepare.

The NOAA said Thursday that it expects an active “or extremely active” hurricane season this year, with as many as six storms classified as “major hurricanes,” or hurricanes with winds of 111 mph or stronger.

No type of candle is included in the exemption. There is no exemption for kerosene lanterns, either. Only battery-powered lanterns apply for the sales tax break. Empty gasoline, diesel, and propane fuel tanks or containers are eligible for the exemption.

Online resources

Go to tax.virginia.gov for answers to more commonly asked questions about the sales tax holiday.